Sunrise and Sunsets
by Straw-hat-Writer
Summary: AU. Ever wonder about what it would be like to never see the outside world again? After being forced to do charity at the hospital, Zoro soon meets a girl who knows what that's like. But after these visits with Zoro, she begins to remember...
1. Charity

**One of the new stories I had been thinking about. Zoro's a character that I find hard to describe sometimes, so I decided to challenge myself with a story where he'd the main character. I'm not sure where this is headed or how often I will update, but it just depends on how much feedback it gets. I wasn't sure on the genre(s) either. I hope you guys enjoy this new story, and enjoy!**

**Key: **

**" " - Dialogue**

**' ' - Thoughts**

**OoOoOoOo - Scene Change **

* * *

**Chapter 1**

"Wake up, Zoro!" demanded the voice of an apparently cross woman. She banged on his bedroom door one last time with her fist. "Why do you always sleep your off-days away? You should do something in your free time!" There, from the opened bedroom door, emerged a not-too-happy green haired man. He glared down at her, and grunted slightly.

"Shut up, Nami! Who asked you to tell me what to do with my life?!" he retorted, scratching the back of his head. She pointed towards the ceiling and answered, "He did." The tired man scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"I don't believe in Him…" he mumbled, pushing past her to get to the kitchen. She sighed and shook her head before following him to the kitchen as well, where Sanji was making breakfast. 'Stupid Cook, always letting that woman into the apartment,' he thought, taking a seat at the table with glaring eyes. Sanji turned around from his work for a second to give Zoro a good kick in the head.

"OI! What the hell?!" exclaimed an angry grump, holding up a shaking fist while the other hand rubbed the sore part of his head.

"That was for yelling at Nami-san," he answered, smiling at her. She smiled back, sending the cook into love hysteria. As he swooned and did a weird noodle dance, Zoro sighed and stared out the window.

'If only I could get away from this life. So hectic and not to mention loud,' he thought, turning his head back as he noticed the food being passed out. He filled everyone's bowl with rice and passed them out.

"Itadakimasu," they said in unison. Nami always got to choose first with Sanji around, and after that, the two men would fight for what they wanted. But, not today. Zoro was too tired to fight, and settled with whatever he felt like getting. After swallowing a big bite, he turned towards Nami.

"So, what do you plan on having me do?" he asked in his just-tell-me-so-I-can-get-it-over-with tone for he knew there was _some_ reason she'd wake him up. Nami grinned at him and placed her bowl back on the table. Sanji took it up, along with Zoro's as she explained.

"What about going down to the hospital to do some charity work?" she suggested. Zoro nearly spat out the water he was drinking and fell back in his chair.

"What am I suppose to do in a damn hospital?!" he exclaimed. Nami waved her hand as if to shoo him away and answered, "You know, talk to those patients before they decide to pull the plug." Zoro flinched at her smiling face as she explained what he could do to help at the hospital.

"No. It isn't my kind of thing anyway," he answered, getting back up and dusting off his clothes. He began walking back to his room when she said, "But, I already signed you up." Zoro slammed a fist on the table and grit his teeth, making a bare audible "What?!" Sanji kicked him in the head again, making the tired man more irritated than usual. "So, unless you want to look like a heartless jerk to all the people in the hospital because of that one visit that could've saved a person's life, then I suggest you go," Nami devilishly reasoned.

"Don't be so grumpy about it, Zoro. Nami-san and I are going too," said Sanji, trying to convince him it wouldn't be that bad. Zoro glared at the both of them and proceeded to his room to change.

'Is it safe to let her near the weak and innocent…?' he gravely thought as he shut the door.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

They pulled up to the local hospital and Zoro let them off at the curb. After finding a place to park, he quickly ran over to the others after locking his car. They walked in, and bumped right into Luffy and his brother Ace.

"Luffy!" exclaimed Zoro. The boy laughed and waved at his friends; his brother, Ace, bowing to everyone. "What are you doing here?" asked Zoro.

"I'm picking up Ace to take back home again! This time he fell asleep while driving," he answered with a grin. The three that arrived looked at him nervously as he laughed with his brother about how close he was to dying. But, that was normal to those two. Luffy was never afraid of anything, not even death. "Well, gotta go before the medicine kicks in and he falls asleep again! Bye!" he said cheerfully, leaving the hospital with his brother.

"Well, that was an interesting visit," said Nami as they neared the front counter. Sanji quickly put out his cigarette in the ash tray, and slipped the pack and lighter into his pocket. Zoro leaned against the counter while Nami did the talking. He turned around and sweat appeared on his temple. There was a sign that said, "Charity Work for $5 for every day."

"You… just wanted the money…" he said, half surprised and half expected. Nami stuck her tongue out at him playfully when the nurse interrupted.

"That sign isn't real. We just use it to get people to come in," she said with a smile on her face. Nami snapped the pen she was holding, which she used to write down the trio's names. Her fist shook while she nearly lunged at the nurse, only to be stopped by Sanji and Zoro.

"Unless you want to look like a heartless jerk to all the people in the hospital because you didn't get money for doing charity, than I suggest you calm down and do it," remarked Zoro, throwing the same words she used this morning at her. She glared at him, her eyes saying, "I'll get you for this." He glared back, answering with, "Just you try."

"Roronoa-san, please follow me to your patient. Nami-san, Sanji-san, please follow the other nurse to your patient," she said, walking down a hallway with Zoro behind her. Sanji spun endlessly as he followed the nurse and Nami, sprouting compliment after compliment until Nami whacked him in the face.

"You might need another room for him," retorted Zoro, the nurse nervously laughing. There was nothing but white as they walked down the seemingly endless hallway. White, white, and more white. Now he understood why patients might need someone to talk to. Just staring at the same thing everyday might drive you nuts. They turned a corner, Zoro walking the wrong way, resulting in the nurse having to find him again. He blushed as she dragged him in the right direction and stopped at a door.

"Here is who you were signed up to. We appreciate what you are doing, especially for this one," she explained. He raised an eyebrow, but shrugged it off. He turned the doorknob and opened the door. "I will return when your time is up." Then, she left while Zoro entered the room, shading his eyes to more of the white. He saw a girl, sitting on the bed, her face turned away towards the window. He cleared his throat and she turned her head till he could see one of her eyes.

"Oh. A visitor. It's been so long, I didn't know people still came to see me," she said, her voice soft and delicate as if it hadn't been used at all before. Zoro scratched the back of his head again, trying to hide that he didn't want to be here at all. "Please, have a seat." She pointed to a chair set against the wall. Hesitantly, he grabbed it and pulled it up beside her, taking a seat.

"Oh yeah. I'm Roronoa Zoro. Just call me Zoro," he said in his gruff voice. She turned her head so he saw her entire face. It was pale, but her beaming blue eyes and long silvery-like hair, that became wavy halfway down, made up for it. She looked quite young to have to be in the hospital.

"My name is Yukiko. Nice to meet you, Zoro-san.

* * *

**Kind of long, I guess, but at least it doesn't have a cliffie. There probably won't be much of that here in this story, unless I just _happen _to think of one. -snicker- I hope you enjoyed the first chapter, and please review!**


	2. Not that Bad

**Well, here's chapter 2! Chapter 3's coming along slowly, but it'll be here probably friday or Saturday since I have so much homework. There isn't much going on yet, so I apologize if you think it's boring. Well, not much to say now, so I'll leave it to you to read the story! **

* * *

**Chapter 2**

"Nice to meet you too, Yukiko," Zoro answered. Yukiko smiled back at him, making him feel a little uncomfortable. He fiddled with his fingers, thinking of something to talk about that wouldn't be too weird… kind of hard when he lives with the weirdest people on Earth.

'This is probably going to end badly…' he thought, still thinking of what to talk about.

"So… how old are you?" he asked aloud, looking up at her.

"I'm 18 years old," she answered, her soft voice making Zoro feel a little sorry for her. But, his eyes showed how surprise he was at her age. She looked nothing like 18. He thought she was only 12 or 13! To him, she didn't look all that grown up; her face still looked like a child's and her hands were small. "That's how long I've been here. I can't even physically change much." Shocked that she knew what he was thinking, he sat back in his chair.

"I… I didn't mean to stare like that," he stuttered, thinking he had done something wrong. Yukiko shook her head and smiled at him again.

"It's alright. You were just surprised, and I don't blame you," she answered, taking a deep breathe and releasing it slowly.

"How long have you been here?" he asked hesitantly. She looked up, as if to look into her own head, and thought for a second. Then, she held up her hands and started counting. Zoro sat nervously as she continued to count her fingers.

"Umm… I guess about… 10 years already. I'm not sure, maybe more," she answered casually. Zoro shot up from his chair and stared at her. Yukiko blinked her eyes, confused as to why he had gotten up so suddenly.

"10 years?!" he exclaimed. "Why were you in the hospital for ten years?!" Yukiko blinked again, and looked out the window as Zoro recuperated himself and sat back down. "Sorry, but why have you been here for that long?" She still looked out the window, silent and thinking. Zoro waited patiently, but felt too uncomfortable from the way he had reacted. He waved his hands in front of him, saying, "Sorry, sorry. You don't have to answer the question if you don't want to."

"It's not that I don't want to… I just don't know how," she answered. He paused, watching her as she tilted her head to think. "Well, I know that I am very sick, but I can't feel it. But when I do, it hurts a lot and the doctors have to rush me into a room. So I can't leave the hospital no matter what." Zoro felt sweat fall from his forehead, and looked down at his hands for a moment, thinking.

'Never being able to see the outside world again because of a sickness? That's got to be crazy!' he thought, remembering what he had told himself earlier this morning at breakfast. Yukiko turned back to him, tilting her head in confusion. "Don't… don't you ever feel lonely?" he asked out loud.

"Lonely?" she asked.

"I mean… never being able to go outside again. Doesn't that bother you?" Yukiko looked down at her own hands, and then glanced back up, shaking her head.

"I realized after a time… after they told me I'd have to stay here for a little while. I found out that I wouldn't be leaving at all," she said, her voice still sounding sweet and unchanged. Zoro thought he couldn't make the feeling of being so stupid be any worse. But, she was still nice and not offended at all.

"What about your parents? You said that no one's visited you in so long," he asked. Yukiko adjusted herself in her bed and settled down again.

"They… just stopped coming. I don't know why, but I'm sure they had their reasons," she said with a smile. Zoro's eyes were widened again while his mouth hung open just a bit. He instantly regretted asking the question, even after the way she answered.

"Don't you miss them?" he asked again. Now he felt like he was just annoying her with all these questions. She shook her head, answering, "I can't even remember what they look like anymore." Zoro decided to shut up at this point, feeling extremely awkward. Yukiko blinked a couple of times and chose to ask him some questions now.

"How old are you, Zoro-san?" Caught off guard from her voice, he was a bit shaken up for some reason. Hospitals just weren't a place for him to be… since he often sent people to them when he was in high school. Though he did recall a fight just a few weeks ago…

"I'm 19," he answered, earning a surprised look on her face. "W-w-what?" he stuttered.

"You look a lot older than that, Zoro-san! I guess you're very mature then," she answered. Zoro shook his head and chuckled, not sure to feel offended or not. He was the least mature person he knew, and there weren't many people he really did know. But, maybe Luffy was a little less mature than him… "Zoro-san, did you dye your hair green?" she asked suddenly.

"No… it's naturally that color," he answered sharply, remembering what other kids would say to him about it… and how he'd hurt them afterwards.

"Gomen, I didn't mean anything," she apologized. He shook his head, saying, "Nah. I'm used to people pointing out my hair." She smiled and looked back out the window, where the sun was shining brightly into the room. She watched the rays climb up her bedside and onto her.

"What does the world look like out there? Does it have more than the color white? And what's it feel like?" she asked, holding her hand up in the light. Zoro looked at her oddly, rubbing the back of his head to think. She turned back to him, smiling, and laughed, "Gomen. I'm just curious. That must be a different kind of question for someone like you, Zoro-san."

"You don't have to apologize for everything, you know," he remarked.

"I don't?" she inquired. He chuckled again. "So, Zoro-san, what do you do out there for work?"

"I have two dirt-poor jobs that are barely enough to help me live. But, luckily I have a roommate who works at a fancy restaurant and gets enough pay for our rent," he answered. "He always lets this girl into the apartment though… which is how I got into this…" He paused, realizing what he was going to say.

"Mess?" she finished, unchanged at all. He frantically shook his head and waved his hands in front of him as a big "No". She laughed, barely audible from her weak voice. He stopped and laughed along with her when the nurse came and opened the door, noticing the both of them enjoying themselves.

"Roronoa-san, you can go now," she said. Yukiko calmed down and smiled at Zoro as he got up to leave.

"Good-bye, Zoro-san. Have a good day," she said after him. He turned around at the door and waved back, closing it. He and the nurse made their way back to the front desk, the nurse asking, "So, how did it go?"

"Good, I guess. I found out a lot about her. Her parents stopped visiting her after she got stuck here?" he asked. The nurse looked down, keeping her eyes from telling the tale, but she told him anyway.

"We don't know what had happened to them. Suddenly, they stopped coming… That day, a news bulletin announced there was a murder, so we suspected that's what had happened… we've never told her though, fearing that it might affect her condition," she answered as they neared the front desk, where Sanji and Nami were. Zoro showed no change in emotion in front of his friends, but his thoughts were different.

'Murdered…' Sanji was groaning and rubbing a very red cheek while Nami was cringing the entire time as they left the hospital. Zoro glanced over and sighed, asking in his gruff voice, "What happened to you guys?"

"The person I was signed up to was an old grandma… and she wouldn't stop pinching my damn cheek! I thought she was going to rip it off," he groaned. As they got into the car, Nami explained what happened to her.

"I was assigned to a little boy and that kid had the loudest voice on Earth! He wouldn't stop squealing on and on about his toys and T.V. I would've sent him to his death bed if the nurse hadn't come in!" she answered. Zoro laughed while he drove down the main street to get back to the apartment.

"What kind of demon hospital patient did you get, Marimo?" grumbled Sanji, angry that he didn't get hurt in anyway.

"Nothing special. Just an average down to Earth person," he answered, though this was _far_ from the truth. 'If I tell them, I'll never hear the end of it…' "Are we coming back next time?" he asked aloud.

"Unfortunately, yes. We'll be doing this for about 3 more weekends…" groaned Nami. The two sat back, tired as hell, while Zoro sat quietly driving, thinking about what to do the next visit.

'This isn't so bad.'

* * *

**What do you guys think about Zoro's personality? Was I able to make it seem like him? I'm not sure. I think he's a little more laid back than usual, but just wondering. Well, I hope you enjoyed the little talk about Yukiko and please review! I'd looove it!  
**


	3. Just Something

**SO SORRY!!!! It's taking me a long time to write now due to the piles and piles of HOMEWORK, curse that dreaded word and noun, but I'm trying my best to update more often. It's been killing my brain and giving me writer's block and so many other problems. My other slow to update story, My Destiny, has kind of hit a stop in the road, and it'll probably be a while before it's back on track. Battle of Romance will conclude soon, and I think that's about it. Now enjoy the chapter!**

**Key: **

**" " - Dialouge**

**' ' - Thoughts**

**OoOoO - Scene Change**

**_Flashback_ (Dunno if it will ever come up, but just in case)  
**

* * *

**Chapter 3**

Zoro woke up normally the next day, a Sunday, and sat up on his bed. He rubbed his head and looked at the clock. It read 9:00 am. He got up and opened his door, noticing that Sanji wasn't awake, like always on Sundays. He went about his morning routine and went back into his room.

'I guess we'll be going to the hospital again, so I might as well change," he thought, grabbing a white t-shirt. He pulled it over his head and slipped on a pair of jeans afterwards. After going out of his room again, he headed towards the kitchen to grab his car keys. When he was slipping on his shoes, Sanji emerged from his room, tired and his hair a mess.

"Oi, Marimo, what are you doing this early?" he grumbled, rubbing his blonde hair. Zoro scoffed and answered, "I'm going out for a little bit. I'll be back later."

"You better not be out getting drunk at 9:30 in the morning. Don't forget to get back before Nami-san comes for breakfast, or we're starting without you," he reminded, closing his door to get cleaned up. Zoro rolled his eyes and opened the door, a splash of sunshine hitting him.

'You don't have to nag me, Ero Cook,' he added in afterthought, closing the door and heading towards the parking lot. He got in his car, started the engine and began driving down a not-so-busy street on his way to the shopping district. After a few minutes of driving, he parked his car in front of a swords shop. He got out, and locked his car, walking up to the viewing window which displayed three white sheathed swords, all the same kind.

'Just wait. When I get enough money, I'm buying one for myself… just like I promised Kuina,' he thought, remembering what had happened to his friend one day in their childhood. 'Just wait.' He continued down the sidewalk and found a book shop open early since the owner was atheist. The green haired man entered the shop and looked at several sections before finding the one he wanted.

"Let's see here," he muttered, pulling out one book to look at. He opened it and glanced at the pictures. Zoro shook his head and replaced the book for another one. Again, he flipped through it and glanced at the pictures, still not satisfied. After looking at one last book, he finally decided to buy it. He placed the book on the counter as the owner ran it through the cash register.

"What's this for?" the man asked, interested since no one really bought books from that section.

"Just something for a friend," Zoro answered, grabbing the bag and paying the man. He returned to his car after glancing one last time at the white swords. When he got back home, Nami was just about to enter the apartment complex.

"Zoro, what a surprise to see you up this early," she said playfully. Zoro just glared at her and the two went to the room. He opened it up with his key and the two were greeted by a strong waft of the smell of breakfast.

"Good morning, Nami-swan!!!" exclaimed Sanji, hands clamped together under his chin. Nami smiled at him, took off her shoes, and proceeded into the kitchen. Zoro did as well, placing his keys back on the counter and the bag too. Sanji passed out the food while Zoro filled the bowls with rice; the same routine everyday.

"Itadakimasu," they said, Nami picking first. This time, Zoro wasn't tired, so the chef and he went into their food fighting brawl. During the fight, Nami asked, "What's in the bag you brought in, Zoro?" He paused and answered, "Oh, that. Just something my hospital patient wanted me to buy for them." Nami glanced over at the bag, but just ignored it for now.

After breakfast, the three of them went out to the car and drove down to the hospital again. The traffic was slow, so they were about ten minutes late, not that it mattered much. The other two would still have to endure the dreadful torture from their patients. They split their ways again and headed to their rooms. The nurse led Zoro again, just in case he would get lost. The plastic bag crinkled against him as he walked down the white hallways.

"Here we are," she said. He entered the room, finding Yukiko stretching her arms out. She turned her head towards the door and her face brightened up. The nurse was pleased with this, and left the two to their time.

"Hello, Zoro-san! How are you today?" she greeted. He took a seat on the chair again and smiled a small smile.

"I'm good today. You feeling any better?" he asked. She nodded happily and spotted the bag in his hand.

"What is that, Zoro-san?" she asked. He lifted it up and handed it to her, answering, "It's for you. I thought you might like it." She grabbed the bag, placed hand inside and pulled out the book inside. On the cover was a lush forest in the winter while the sun rose from behind it. Her eyes widened in surprise as she stared at the cover. She placed a hand on the cover and ran it down the picture.

"Wow…thank you, Zoro-san!" she said gleefully.

"It's no problem. I thought I bothered you yesterday, so I got this for you," he answered. She looked up at him and asked, "Bothered? How so?" He shrugged and just waved it off. Yukiko turned her attention back to the book and opened it up to the first page with pictures. It was a plain sunrise over a horizon, but she pointed to it with her delicate finger.

"What is that?" she asked suddenly. He looked at her, nervous and worried. How long _had _she been here?

"Umm…" he started. "Well, that's called a sunrise," he answered nervously. She blinked a couple of times and looked intrigued with the image. The sky was clearing up in the dawning, bright light. It was the most magnificent thing she had ever seen since her being trapped in the white building prison they called a hospital.

"What is one like when you see it out there?" she asked, looking up at him. He was confused, not knowing what to tell her. He never saw a sunrise himself because he was never able to wake up that early. Or at least bothered to look up at the sky when he did occasionally wake up at that time.

"I've never seen one because the sun rises way too early for me," he answered. "The sunrise happens at the very beginning of the day, so I'm still sleeping then." Yukiko turned back to it, and turned the page and the picture was the same horizon, except the sun wasn't quite the same.

"These colors are darker than the other one, but it's still the sun at the horizon. What does that mean?" she asked again.

'All these questions… how long has she been here? It must have been crazy to live like this… yet she's so normal,' he thought. "Well," he said aloud, "this one's a sunset." She slowly nodded, and asked, "So this one happens at the beginning of the evening?"

"Kinda. It happens before night gets to us," he answered. He felt like he was talking to someone who grew up in a box… which was sort of the case with Yukiko. She sighed and lay the book down for a moment, looking out the window. "What's wrong?" he asked, thinking he reminded her too much of what she was missing out on.

"I just wish I could see the outside world again, even if I could see it only for a day, or a minute… See this… sunrise and sunset," she said idly. She turned back to Zoro and sheepishly smiled, apologizing, "I'm sorry, Zoro-san. I shouldn't be burdening you like this."

"Hey, It's fine," he answered, holding a hand behind the back of his neck. The only thing really bothering him was the fact that she almost knew nothing. How would he be able to bring her the outside with pictures and bad explanations? But, she didn't seem to mind much. She didn't have anything to compare it to.

"It's so beautiful, this sunrise and sunset. Maybe we might see them together, Zoro-san," she said, smiling. He blushed and cleared his throat, standing up to get a drink of water. She picked the book back up and continued to look at the pictures. She didn't ask about anything else in the book, only those first two with the sun.

'I wonder why she likes the sun pictures the most…' he thought. The nurse came in and walked over to the two of them, noticing the book Yukiko had.

"Oh! Did you buy that for her, Roronoa-san?" she asked, taking out a thermometer. He nodded and watched as she placed it in Yukiko's mouth. The nurse looked at the results with surprise, saying, "This is amazing! Yukiko, you're fever went away from yesterday!" The two smiled with each other while Zoro sat, struck with surprise.

'She had a fever? Yesterday? But she was just fine when I got here. Was she really that sick that she really _couldn't_ feel anything?' he thought, wondering how he had no idea at all that she was ailing during their last visit. The nursed finished up things with a shot and Zoro left with her, his time up.

"Good bye, Zoro-san!" she said happily, clutching the book with both her hands. He smiled back at her, and left, leaving her in the room by herself. She glanced out the window again; her blue eyes bright and filled with happiness.

* * *

**Chapter 3 down! Not that long, but not to short. Now, I know what I'm going to say, and you know what i'm going to say , but you know what? I'll say it anyway: Please Review! I'll try to update sooner next time! That's about it for updates for me, and see you next chapter! **


	4. Last Visit

**Oh my, it's been _quite _a while hasn't it? I hope you guys don't hate me or anything. I just kinda... well... lost it once the end of the year came around. It was REALLY hectic. I had NO thinking time left. I had 3 or 4 major projects going on at the same time, then I had to study for exams. Yeah... try packing all that into a span of 4 weeks. Crazy I tell you. After that, I just needed a LONG time to relax before I could write again, let alone form coherent sentences. I'm so sorry for not saying anything. This was the only story I felt like updating, so here is chapter 4 (after _how _long?) I don't know when my next update will be and what story it will be, so be on the look out in your e-mails! Btw, it's summer for me now, so I might update a tad more often. **

**Refreshers: I don't own One Piece, only Yukiko or any other random characters that don't seem One Piece related. Got it? **

**Dialouge/Sounds - " "**

**Thoughts - ' '**

**_Flsahback_**

**OoOoOoO -Scene Change  
**

* * *

**Chapter 4**

A week had gone by since the last time Zoro had visited Yukiko, when he gave her that book. But even though he had only met her two times, he still glanced at the window that Yukiko's room was at whenever he would pass the hospital. And he still couldn't stop thinking about her being stuck in the god forsaken white box for so long. But, there was nothing he could do…

"Brrrrrrrrrriiing- click!" With a tired soul, he lifted himself from his bed, tossing his blanket off of him. He stumbled to his feet and slowly made his way to the door, headed for the bathroom. The tired green haired man reached for the door…

…only to have it open right onto his face.

"Good morning, Zoro!" greeted Nami in a sing song manner, a smile as bright as the day on her face. She became intrigued as she found him cringing on the floor of his room, clutching at his face. "Zoro! What are you doing on the floor? Get up and get ready! We're going to the hospital today, remember?" There were a couple of mumbles, and Zoro hoisted himself up, glaring at the orange haired woman.

"Get… out… of my… way…" he growled menacingly. Unchanged, she pouted at him, not impressed or intimidated. She turned on her heel and headed out for the kitchen, Zoro hearing sizzling sounds of the pan followed by the sound of a swooning cook's voice.

'I hate my life…' And on that happy note, he brushed his teeth, and went back to his room to change. The door closed with a slam, Nami watching.

"He's one troubled man…" said Nami with a sigh, gently shaking her head.

"More then that, if you ask me," said the cook, flipping the pancake into the air and catching it back in the pan flawlessly. "But, he has been better ever since we started going to the hospital. Even if it's been only two visits so far."

"True. He wasn't as snappy today. Just a little grumpy," she said. "You think it has to do with that patient of his?" Her eyes rose curiously at the cook when he turned around with pancakes shaped like hearts.

"I don't know… Zoro liking a girl in the hospital? He doesn't even like girls outside of it."

"True… you think his patient's actually a guy then?" Sanji paused to think as he set the plates down on the table.

"…that would explain a couple of things…" Just then, Zoro appeared out from the side of the opening to the kitchen, startling the two of them senselessly. He raised an eyebrow, wondering what it was that they were freaked about.

"Did I miss something?" The both of them shook their heads hastily with nervous laughing. Zoro gave them both a weird look, hesitantly taking a seat at the table.

'Whatever it is, it had better not have involved me…' he thought, grabbing a seat. But, before he could sit down, the phone rang. The man sighed, trudging over to the phone while Sanji took a seat, handing Nami her plate with the heart shaped pancake. Zoro grasped the phone, pulling it up quickly to his ear.

"Hello?" he said into the receiver. His expression grew disgusted as he listened. "What do you want?" he asked rudely. Sanji and Nami watched silently, a look of worry on one and anger on the other. Zoro gulped, feeling a bit anxious.

"Not now, I'm busy today." His jaw tightened from irritation as the one speaking to him didn't agree to his statement. "I'll see what I can do…"

"That's a good boy. Now, hopefully I'll be seeing you soon…" said the voice on the other line in a toying manner. Zoro slammed the phone down, his hand clenching it tightly. He was glaring at the phone as if he were shooting daggers at whom he had just spoken with. He stood there for a few moments, finally releasing his death grip on the phone.

"Zoro, if you have to go…"

"It's fine," he said curtly. "I'll just be busy tonight." The two friends nodded, and Zoro sat down. He quickly wolfed down a few pancakes, and then stood back up from the table. "I'm not that hungry, so I'll be waiting outside." He grabbed his keys off the counter, slipped on his shoes, and closed the door quietly. A moment of silence passed by before Sanji interrupted it with a sigh.

"Whoever that hospital patient is, I think they've done a wonder on our troubled friend," said Sanji, getting his and Zoro's plate. He stood up from the table as well, placing them in the sink. The gentleman took Nami's plate while she also got up.

"I guess. We should find out who this person is! Up for some sneaking around, Sanji-kun?" proposed Nami confidently. The cook turned around, his face flushed, and he hugged her as tightly as he could.

"I'll sneak around with you anytime, anywhere, Nami-saaan! You're just my special sneaky little vixen!" His hands "slipped" under Nami's shirt around her stomach, and his face flushed even more… until Nami knocked him in the face with a burning fury, sending him into a wall in the small living room. The front door opened, Zoro's head popping in to see what the ruckus was about. He eyed around his apartment until he saw Sanji.

"I'm guessing his hands 'slipped'… again?" he pondered, seeing the cook sprawled out on the floor with a nosebleed.

"Do you need to ask?" she grumbled, slipping on her jacket and shoes. "He's lucky he can cook so well." She pushed past Zoro, the man sending her an irritated glance, and she headed towards the car. He turned back to the cook, who was still knocked out on the floor, groaning.

'I'm sure he is…'

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"Oh, Nami-swan, your love comes with such cold wrath in your delicate hands…" he swooned, sitting by himself in the backseat of the car. Zoro sat down in the driver's seat, glancing at the lovesick cook as he clung to Nami's seat. Zoro's expression was nervous, hoping they wouldn't be driving to the hospital for another service besides charity to those already in it.

'How can he say this stupid stuff about her being evil?' he thought, starting the car. 'This guy just doesn't give up…' They headed out for the hospital, the traffic mild, so they reached it in no time at all… to Sanji and Nami's dismay. They got out from the car reluctantly, slowly making their way to the hospital with Zoro following right behind them.

"You guys look pitiful… I'm afraid to walk in there next you people." They turned around, glaring eyes staring at him.

"At least we don't look like a grave robber…" commented Sanji as he turned back to the hospital of doom. Zoro rolled his eyes, walking ahead of the two of them. The automatic doors silently moved aside for the three friends and closed behind them with a quiet hiss of air.

"Good morning, Roronoa-san, Nami-san, Sanji-san," greeted the nurse at the counter. Zoro merely grunted, not really in the best of moods. Sanji gladly said hello, as well as take hold of the nurse's hand to gently kiss. Nami gave him a whack on the head, dragging him by the ear to their patients' rooms.

"We'll see you later, Zoro! Stay out of trouble!" called Nami over her shoulder, continuing to drag Sanji along.

"Ah, Ms. Nurse, I shall return for yooooo- OW!" Sanji stumbled along awkwardly, holding his burning ear.

'They were definitely made for each other…' thought the green haired man, turned down the hallway towards Yukiko's room. Again, he observed the white of the hallway, the doors, and lights even. He felt out of place in his jeans, and an open green button-up t-shirt with a tank top underneath. He turned the corner, and grasped hold of the handle of Yukiko's room, slowly opening it.

"Oh, don't come in yet!" Dazed, he looked up from hearing the voice and immediately blushed after realizing what he had done, letting out a small sound. "Zoro-san!"

"Sorry!!" He slammed the door shut, spinning around and holding himself against the door. He held a hand to his heart, the beating quick. His breath was short and fast while he felt his face feel hotter by the second.

'God, I'm such an idiot! Why didn't I knock?!' A nurse came up from around the corner after hearing all the commotion that went on. A few doors in the same hallway opened, also curious as to what happened. Zoro's head spun back and forth, left and right, until he got a headache.

"Uh… is something the matter, Roronoa-san?" asked the nurse, holding a clipboard in front of her with one hand while the other was held up tentatively in the air. Furiously, the green haired man shook his head in a "no", not wanting to cause anymore trouble.

"Zoro-san?" said a muffled voice. Zoro stopped when suddenly his support was gone…

….and he fell to the floor with a loud "RAM". The nurse gasped, the free hand covering her surprised mouth. He yelled out in pain, grasping the sore part of his head and shutting his eyes tightly. As he groaned, he felt a pair of soft hands trying to help him up. Slowly, he opened his eyes, the emerald green of his pupils shining in the light.

"Zoro-san, are you alright? I didn't mean to hurt you!" He blinked a few times, his eyes trying to focus. Finally, he could see clearly and saw Yukiko right in front of his face. Startled, he shot up, nearly knocking her in the forehead with his own.

"I-I'm ok! Just a fall!" he said. Though, he leaned against the wall heavily from the rush of blood in his aching head.

'Or not… what the hell is wrong with me…' Taking his arm, Yukiko gently pulled him up and over to the chair he had used the week before, helping him sit down while the nurse made an ice pack for him. He looked up, seeing Yukiko's silvery hair shine in the morning sun's rays, and her blue eyes looking at him with worry.

"Here we are," said the nurse as she set the ice pack on his head. "Now just stay put for a while, and we'll see to it right away."

"No, it's fine. I'm ok," he assured, even though he kept the ice pack on his head tightly.

"Please do what the nurse says, Zoro-san. It's my fault for opening the door, and I don't want you to be seriously hurt." Yukiko looked at him intently, her face worried to no end. Zoro's eyes widened; what made her care so much about him? He was never used to this kind of attention. He felt his cheeks warm up from a blush threatening to surface and quickly turned away.

"O-ok. If you're that worried… then I'll do what she says," he muttered audibly. Yukiko looked at him puzzled for a moment, trying to figure out why he had turned away suddenly. But, it was quickly replaced with a soft smile and relieved expression. The nurse cleared her throat, the two turning their heads toward her.

"I must ask though… what was all the commotion about?" Zoro's face froze in nervousness, and he could feel his face feeling warmer, indicating he was probably red in the face by now.

"Ah, well you see. I was changing out of my usual apparel when Zoro-san walked in for one of our visits. I was wearing my knee shorts with my back turned to Zoro-san, so he didn't really see anything," she explained calmly. The nurse obviously looked shocked, but didn't say anything about it, only sending Zoro an icy glance. "It was all an accident, so please don't be mad at Zoro-san." The nurse nervously smiled and left the two of them to their visit.

"I'm sorry about what happened. I should've knocked," said Zoro, still not looking at Yukiko directly. She turned her head to glance at him, smiling.

"It's ok. It was all an accident. You would've knocked if you knew I was changing."

"I'm still sorry." She laughed, the sound of her voice still rather quiet and soft. Then, she went over to the opposite side of her bed, the side by the window, and slipped on a pair of sandals that were open in the back. Zoro, able to look at her now, seemed intrigued, seeing that the last time he had saw her, she was stuck in her bed.

"Are you going somewhere?" he asked, pushing the ice pack a little further up his head. She nodded at him, her silvery hair bouncing up and down with the motion.

"The doctor said that I was well enough to get out of bed now. I'm still not allowed out of the hospital, but this is enough for now, I suppose. The nurse was kind enough to buy me new clothes as a gift for me being able to walk again. That's why I was changing," she explained, walking over to the side Zoro sat at.

"Oh," replied Zoro, not knowing what else there was to say. A short silence came between the two of them, Yukiko studying Zoro for a moment. "Uh… is something wrong with me?"

"Oh. No, Zoro-san. I just noticed you look… hmm… how could you say this… brighter, I guess, since the last time we met," she answered, smiling again. "I know what I'm thinking, but I don't know how to explain it. I'm sorry."

"Hey, didn't I say last time you don't have to apologize for everything?" he said with a playful smirk. Yukiko chuckled, turning towards the door with a nod.

"I was thinking about taking a walk around the hospital. Would you like to join me?" Slowly, he nodded, getting up from the chair cautiously to keep from getting another head rush. He felt a weight drop onto his head, and Zoro stumbled a little. Yukiko caught him with her small body, successfully keeping him up. Holding onto his arm, she opened the door and led him through with her.

"You don't have to help me, I'm fine," he said, trying to pull away, feeling uncomfortable. She let his arm go and put a sign on the door saying, "Out for a walk". She turned back with a smile on her face.

"Zoro-san, you have to let people help you _sometimes_. You aren't alone in this world; you have friends. That's what they're here for, to help you." She grabbed onto his arm again when he was stopped by her words. "So, let me try and help you. Think of it as a thank you for the book you gave me." Seeing it useless to fight back, he gave in and let her drag him along. The headed down the hallway towards the front counter where the trio of friends, Nami, Sanji and Zoro, had first signed up for charity work.

One of the nurses working turned around from her work after hearing their footsteps. "Oh, what are you doing out, Yukiko?" she asked, surprised at the sight of her.

"The doctor said I was well enough to walk again, and I wanted to take a walk with my friend, Zoro-san!" she replied happily. The green haired man blushed, tilting his head in an uneasy manner.

"That's great news to-"

"Sanji, we're leaving before you get us into even _more _trouble!" There were the sounds of a whack and whining as Yukiko, Zoro and the nurse took a look down the hallway that Sanji and Nami had gone down towards their patients.

'I don't need anymore problems to deal with…' thought the tired man, tiredly holding the ice pack now. Soon, from the same hallway the three were looking down, both Sanji and Nami emerged. The orange haired woman was dragging the cook along by the ear just as Zoro had seen them when they separated. 'Yup, definitely made for each other…'

"Zoro! Get your car keys, we're going home!" Yukiko's curiosity perked up, and she casually turned towards a grumbling Zoro.

"Are these the friends you told me about a while ago?" He nodded with a groan as the two showed up, Nami's eyes landing on the little 18 year old. She let go of Sanji's now sore ear and glared at Yukiko, making the younger girl flinch back a little.

"H-h-hello… M-M-Ms. Zoro-san's friend," stuttered Yukiko, gulping from nervousness. Nami's burning rage seemed to have cooled down from seeing Yukiko scared, and she blew a sigh. She raised an eyebrow, interested in the young girl holding on to Zoro.

"Who are you, and how do you know Zoro?"

"She's the patient I was assigned to, and her name's Yukiko," explained Zoro gruffly, taking the ice pack off his head. "And don't ask about the ice pack." Nami shrugged it off, seeing as it was her next question. Curious, Zoro asked, "What are you guys doing out so early?" Nami sighed heavily, indicating it was going to be a long story. Or just very agitating events happened. Or both.

"Well, my patient, the little demon boy, was sent to another hospital for more advanced treatment while Sanji's cheek pinching grandma passed away last night. So, we just went to the cafeteria, _which was a bad idea_." She stressed the last part into a growl towards Sanji, who didn't seem to care anyway. He was too busy looking at Yukiko, who had finally noticed his staring.

"C-can I help you, Mr. Sanji?" The cook looked shocked for a moment, scaring Yukiko even more. She gripped onto Zoro's arm tighter, making his face turn red again.

"SO CUTE" he exclaimed, hugging the little 18 year old and rubbing his cheek against hers. Her grasp on the green haired man's arm slipped away, and her arms quickly came between Sanji and her, trying to push the older man away. "What's a cute little girl like you doing in the hospital?" he said in a babyish tone.

"Well… uh…" she paused to try and push him away, to no avail. "Could you please-"Before she could finish her question, Zoro grabbed Sanji by the back of his neck and lifted him off of Yukiko, the 18 year old falling down.

"Ow, ow, ow! Ok, ok! I got it! Just let go of me!" Zoro let go as if he were a robot under command, and he helped Yukiko up. "So it was a girl after all."

"Huh? What are you talking about?" asked Zoro, dusting himself off. Sanji and Nami shook their heads, ignoring his question. Before anything else could happen, a couple of doctors in a hurry showed up, their faces gleaming when they found Yukiko.

"Yukiko! Please come here a moment. We need to talk to you," they said, motioning her over.

"Excuse me," she said to Zoro and his friends. She turned and left to the doctors who immediately began to talk at once.

"Wow, she is really cute," said Sanji casually.

"I'm going to punch you in the face," growled Zoro. Sanji stared sullenly and inched away from his friend. He only glared back, turning his attention back to Yukiko, who was bouncing up and down on her heels.

'She… does look… a little cute…' he thought, feeling uncomfortable thinking it himself. Suddenly, Yukiko turned around, literally hopping back to Zoro. 'Ok, that was pushing it…' He could feel his face beginning to blush, and pretended to cough to cover up his face.

"Zoro-san, Zoro-san! I have great news!" The teenager held her hands together in front of her, a bright smile on her face. Zoro couldn't help but to smile even a little at her happy face.

"Yeah? Well, what is it?" he asked as Nami and Sanji waltzed over to hear what the commotion was about.

"The doctors said I can go out of the hospital now!"

* * *

**Aw, isn't that a wonderful treat for our Zoro? I hope I'm not making him out of character in any way. And any spelling/grammar mistakes or something could've been written better, tell me! Again, I apologize for not saying anything or posting stories for so long. It was HECTIC. I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and please review! I would appreciate it!**


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